Ian Lucas MP Constituency Office Vernon House, 41 Rhosddu Road, Wrexham, LL11 2NS
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Ian Lucas MP Constituency Office Vernon House, 41 Rhosddu Road, Wrexham, LL11 2NS. Tel: 01978 355 743 Fax: 01978 310 051 e-mail : Website : www.ianlucas.co.uk From his website …. Ian Lucas shocked by police’s personal attacks 27/11/2007 WREXHAM MP Ian Lucas has said he is “shocked and saddened ” by untrue personal attacks on him by North Wales Police’s most senior chief officers. The Chief Officers are reported to have described Mr Lucas as “Ian Ned Ludd Lucas”, talked about MPs being parachuted into Wales and suggested Mr Lucas was “purporting to represent people” during a discussion filmed for a BBC documentary to be shown tonight. Mr Lucas said: “To make these insulting and false comments on camera, in the full knowledge they could be broadcast, shows how atrocious the judgment of North Wales’ Chief Officers is and how unprofessional they are. Neither Richard Brunstrom nor his Deputy has ever had the guts to make these statements to my face. “If they had, I could have told them I moved to Wrexham in 1986 and both my teenage children were born in Wrexham. Members of my constituency party here in Wrexham were not born yesterday and probably took into account when selecting me that I had been Wrexham’s Labour Conference delegate in 1990, Chair of Wrexham Labour Party in 1992 and a local activist in Wrexham and Oswestry for 15 years before my election. I have also been elected twice by the people of Wrexham. “The comment that I am “purporting to represent my constituents ” is also demonstrably untrue – the very issue which seemed to spark this “rant” came about after discussions with Gwersyllt Community Council who had raised concerns with me about the loss of police officers in their community. I still don’t know why North Wales Police recruits web administrators when taking officers off the beat in Wrexham. 1 “I am, of course, concerned by the untrue allegations made about me. In politics, if people say things about you that are not true, they stick. I want these two officers to withdraw what they have said, admit they were wrong and apologise." “However, what I find even more worrying is that – yet again - they raise more questions about the professionalism of North Wales Police’s chief officers – not only Richard Brunstrom but also Clive Wolfendale. I am also very disturbed that they call into question my right to represent my constituents – because I was born in England. “To make such comments is one thing, but to make them knowing they were being filmed and likely to be broadcast really beggars belief. “It was just last week that yet another media protocol had to be put into place at a meeting of the North Wales Police Authority after an appalling lapse in judgement by the Chief Constable. “I have complained to the Police Authority and I would expect they make a statement after this programme is broadcast. “I have not asked for Mr Brunstrom or Mr Wolfendale to consider their positions before, although my concerns have been mounting - but they certainly no longer have my confidence. It is impossible to have any type of working relationship with anyone who behaves in such an unprofessional way.” The PPP comment …… the people in North Wales have been exposed to the excesses of both these officers since their appointments 6 & 7 years ago. The PPP have been campaigning for REAL policing for over 4 years. Support for our campaign from the Labour Party in North Wales has been minimal and PPP members integrity has been personally attacked by Senior members of both the Police and the party. Brunstrom has been given carte blanche by Labour members (and others) of the Police Authority to do and say publicly whatever he wants. Mr Lucas has now been targeted and at long last, for personal reasons, has responded. Brunstrom has been inciting anti-English feelings and pandering to the Welsh nationalists for years with no comment from Labour or any other party for that matter. Brunstrom and Wolfendale colluded with the BBC reporter to make a whole range of controversial statements over many months KNOWING that they most certainly would be broadcast. This also highlights the low level of professional integrity and competence of BBC Wales the program makers. This program was bad journalism and television by any yardstick. We believe David Williams, who was equally pathetic in many Dragon’s eye episodes, was brought back from retirement for this ‘event’. We invite Mr Lucas to meet with us to discuss these issues at a time and place to suite himself. The PPP December 8 th 2007 2.